Representing asian ness through contemporary dance case studies of five dance companies in singapore

REPRESENTING ASIAN-NESS THROUGH CONTEMPORARY DANCE: CASE STUDIES OF FIVE DANCE COMPANIES IN SINGAPORE CAREN CARINO B.Ed. and M.F.A. (Dance), University of Hawaii A THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY SOUTHEAST ASIAN STUDIES PROGRAMME NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE 2008 Acknowledgements I would like to thank the following people for their inspiration, invaluable guidance and support in the research and writing of my thesis. I am indebt to the contemporary dance companies and dance artists based in Singapore at the time of my research. It is because of these individuals and their creative work that compelled me to write this thesis: Angela Liong (artistic director), Elysa Wendi (assistant artistic director) and Scarlet Yu (dancer) from The Arts Fission Company; Lim Chin Huat(artistic director) , Tan How Choon (associate artistic director) and Su Sam (dancer) from Ecnad Project Ltd.; Tammy Wong (artistic director) and Elaine Chan (dancer) from Tammy L. Wong Dance Company; Danny Tan (artistic director), Sylvia Yong (dancer) and Albert Tiong (dancer) from Odyssey Dance Theatre and; Aaron Khek Ah Hock (executive director), Ix Wong Thien Pau (artistic director) and Ebelle Chong (dancer) from Ah Hock and Peng Yu. I embarked on the writing of this thesis as a dancer accustomed to creative and physical expression. However, through the patience and guidance of my Ph.D. supervisor Associate Professor Goh Beng Lan and the careful scrutiny of Hannah Tan, I have gained an immense respect for critical thinking and written expression. I am grateful to my mentor Joan Woodbury and all my dance friends and colleagues for their words of wisdom and encouragement: Ravenna Tucker, Lim Fei Shen, Professor Patricia Adams, Dr. Brian Howard, Professor Judy Van Zile, Dr. Stephanie Burridge, Associate Professor Cheryl Stock and Dr. Siri Rama. I am i also thankful to the many dancers that have shared their experiences and insights including my students Vincent Yong, Zhou Zihao, Lee Mun Wai, Law Su Ling and Choo Ting. Finally, I would like to thank my family - husband James Andrew Weschler and sons James Anthony Carino (Jac) and Andrew Bradford Carino Weschler for their love and support. I especially want to thank my parents Antonio Collado Carino and Frisca Blaquera Carino for encouraging me to pursue my dreams and aspirations in life. It is because of their firm belief in me that I enjoyed and continue to pursue a wonderfully full and rewarding life in dance as a performer, educator, administrator, advocate and academic. ii Table of Contents Title Page Acknowledgements i Table of Contents iii Summary vii Illustrations x Chapter One: Introduction Personal Location Description of Fieldwork and Data Collection 10 Structure of the Thesis 13 Chapter Two: Background 16 Introduction 16 Western Modern Dance 16 Terms: Modern Dance and Contemporary Dance 22 Asian Contemporary Dance: Western Modern Dance Transplanted in Asia 26 Contemporary Dance in Singapore 28 Conclusion 41 Chapter Three: Analytical Framework 43 Introduction 43 Survey of Scholarship and Discourse on Local Identity: Asian Values and Asian-ness 45 iii Asian Contemporary Dance: Approaches in Creation 57 Interculturalsim 57 Multidisciplinarism 73 Body-Centeredness 77 Conclusion Chapter Four: The Arts Fission Company 83 86 Introduction 86 Angela’s Personal Search 87 Interculturalism Linked with Multidisiciplinarism 90 Current Issues as Themes 95 Elysa’s Background and Shared Vision 104 Conclusion 108 Chapter Five: Ecnad Project Ltd. 110 Introduction 110 Chin Huat’s Influences and Approach 112 How Choon’s Influences and Approach 114 Artistic Expression through Western Forms and Multidisciplinarism Rooted in Western Practice 115 Dance as an Expression of Contemporary Issues 126 Conclusion 130 Chapter Six: Tammy L. Wong Dance Company 132 Introduction 132 Influences on Tammy’s Identity and Artistic Approach 134 Western-centric Artistic Expression 144 iv Conclusion Chapter Seven: Odyssey Dance Theatre 153 155 Introduction 155 Danny’s Personal Identity and Vision 157 A Hybrid Dance Form through Interculturalism 161 Aesthetics, Sentiments and Beliefs 166 Conclusion 170 Chapter Eight: Ah Hock and Peng Yu 172 Introduction 172 Aaron’s Background and Influences 174 Ix’s Background and Influences 181 Body-Centeredness as an Approach to Understanding Asian-ness 183 Multidisciplinarism in the Expression of the Contemporary Asian Identity 191 Consistency of Asian Themes 198 Conclusion 201 Chapter Nine: Conclusion 203 Bibliography 210 Appendices: Dance Company Profiles 218 Appendix I: The Arts Fission Company 219 v Appendix II: Ecnad Project Ltd. 225 Appendix III: Tammy L. Wong Dance Company 230 Appendix IV: Odyssey Dance Theatre 234 Appendix V: A Hock and Peng Yu 238 vi Summary Dance has rarely been looked at as a repository site for discourses on nationalist or regional identities in Southeast Asia. Somehow there has been more focus on culture, politics and identity in theatre and other performing arts rather than dance. Hence, in an endeavor to fill this gap this thesis looks at how contemporary dance is a dynamic space where Asian identity takes on complex and meaningful constructions through the lives and work of contemporary Asian dance artists located in Singapore. This thesis contends that contemporary dance, an aesthetic expression, is an important site to analyze the construction and meanings of Asian identity in parallel to social scientific analyses of nationalist and Southeast Asian identities, which have amongst other things, centered on the “Asian values and identities” discourse in Southeast Asia. Although the search for the “local” and “indigenous” has always characterized Southeast Asian scholarship, focus on a broader Asian identity began with the rise of the region and assertion of difference from the West promoted through the “Asian values” discourse since the late 1980’s. Social scientific analyses of the Asian identity discourse in Southeast Asia tend to relegate Asian values as elitist, if not nationalist, constructions. For instance, the discourses on Asian values are viewed as elitist identity politics such as in the context of Singapore where the then prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, used an Asian identity, particularly Chinese values and beliefs, to define the Singaporean identity. While this thesis acknowledges the political strategy of the state and elites in the construction of an Asian identity, it argues that not all constructions can be reduced to elitist or state instrumentality. vii An in-depth investigation of the works and lives of eight artistic directors/choreographers from 1994 to 2005 under the auspices of five Singaporebased contemporary dance companies saw them assuming a significant role in defining “Asian-ness” in their own way. These dance artists were seen to be influenced by their personal biographies, which were a result of cultural heritage, acculturation as well as sojourns and exposure. The work they produced centered around unresolved tensions between prioritizing cultural continuity and/or particularity as well as the uncritical acceptance of Western outlooks. This study shows that Singapore, with its historical, geographical, political and demographical particularities, becomes a conducive and meaningful place for both local Singaporeans as well as immigrants such as Asian Americans and Southeast Asians, particularly those of Chinese or part-Chinese descent, to live and create their Asian contemporary dance forms. The space created by the Asian values and identities debates coincides with the visions and struggles of the Asian-artist diaspora that are not necessarily defined and contained by Singapore’s nationalist ideology. For many of these artists, at times Asian-ness is understood as a specific Asian culture associated especially with Chinese ethnicity, which is thought to be both intrinsic as well as something learned. At other times, however, it is not necessarily about ethnicity but embracing multiple Asian cultural influences, i.e. reflecting different local contexts of various Southeast and East Asian societies such as Malaysian, Indonesian, Korean, etc. Yet in other instances, Asian-ness is not about a particular Asian ethnicity but more about acculturation with, or influenced by values, ways and aesthetics associated with Western societies. viii Furthermore, towards the creation of various Asian contemporary dance forms, three approaches were identified: interculturalism, multidisciplinarism and body-centeredness. While these three approaches are also found in Western as well as Southeast Asian performance creations or somatic practices, more important was the way in which they were utilized by contemporary Asian dance artists towards reclaiming contemporary dance as an Asian form, or on Asian terms, to establish representational difference in today’s world. Through these approaches, contemporary dance is transformed from a Western form into an Asian form. Called “Asian contemporary dance” in this thesis, it expresses Asian themes, has a hybridized mixture of Asian/Western movement vocabularies, a combination of Asian/Western multidisciplinary artistic collaborations as well as Asian translations of Western technique and approaches in dance creations. Hence, this thesis shows that the realm of contemporary dance is a site where diverse and complex interpretations of Asian-ness are embodied. While the discourse of Asian identity is a Singapore nationalist doctrine, Asian-ness could not be contained solely within the nationalist framework because both local and migrant artists who live in Singapore have their own sense and meaning of Asianness that extends the discourse of Asian identity debates beyond nationalist definitions. This thesis argues that Asian-ness need not take the form of political or elitist rhetoric alone, but is also about the expression of multi-faceted imaginings of individual or collective differences about ethnicity, community, heritage and culture through artistic agency. ix Team B dancers. By 2005 all but one of its resident dancers, Kon Su Sam, departed the company. Early in its formation in 1997, Ecnad began with an outreach program which presented site-specific work, where the sites chosen are public areas like open plazas in shopping malls and commercial buildings. In fact the company claims to be the first to present an outreach series of site-specific works. As the company developed, its activities grew to consist of main performances primarily in proscenium stage and studio theatre venues while it continued to reach young audiences and families through arts education programs in the schools and productions such as Sheep (1997 and 2003) and The New Adventures of Little Prince (2000). In 1999, Ecnad established Fresh From the Oven (FFTO), aimed at developing young talent through classes in choreography, dance technique and performance and in 2001 the Ecnad Team B was initiated as a platform for young artists from FFTO to create and perform. Another initiative of the company was to increase exposure and contact with foreigners. Thus, it performed regionally as well as internationally to places such as Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Yugoslavia. The company has also collaborated frequently with foreign artists, primarily based in Singapore. Title of Work or Production Premier/Restage Year Ecnad – Dance from the E Point 1996 B-Cycle 1996 Sheep 1997 Ontogenesis – Dawning on the Source 1997 Ontogenesis – A Wish to Utopia 1997 Ontogenesis – Genesis at Unknown Terrain 1997 Schizone 1998 Plastic 1998 226 Terrestrial Beings in Watercoloured Mirage 1998 Solo 1998 Terrestrial Beings in Three Wonders 1998 Terrestrial Beings in Spherical Analogy 1998 Frame 1998 Across Oceans 1999 Look-See @ the Fish in the Flower 1999 Talking Dance Series 1999 Four and a Half Rebels 1999 Visceral Vim 2000 Four and a Half Rebels 2000 a-the-bird 2000 & 2001 (restaged) Fresh From the Oven 2000 Phylogenesis II- Tales from the Giant Blanket @ Chijmes 2000 Phylogenesis III – Dragon Tale @ Rendezvous 2000 The New Adventures of Little Prince 2000 Tales from the Giant Blanket II 2001 Tales from the Giant Blanket (Tour) 2001 Out-of-Site 2001 Phylogenesis I – Water Story 2001 Floating Mirror 2001 & 2001 (restaged) Fantasy Creatures & Other Things 2001 Bottled Dances 2002 Missing in Tall Pillars 2002 2002 (restaged) Sheep 2003 March Spin 2003 Crazy Naked World 2003 Crazy Excerpts 2003 The Language of Dance 2003 Cost-Tune-Mean 2004 Flamingo 2004 227 Spy 2004 Fireball 2005 In the beginning Ecnad received funding and support from the National Youth Council (NYC) but soon after the NAC became a major source. Besides the NAC the company is supported by ticket sales, revenue from education and outreach programs as well as foundation grants and corporate support. In 2004 Ecnad decided to work with more non-dancers and to give more artistic freedom to its collaborators. It launched its associate artist scheme towards more multidisciplinary collaboration and, at the same time, the company was restructured to focus on offering creative services to corporations and the community and returning to its original commitment to connect with the public through outreach projects rather than staging performances in conventional venues. 228 Excerpts of work by Ecnad Project Ltd. This page contains a VCD that is not available through internet. 229 Appendix III: Tammy L. Wong Dance Company Following Tammy L. Wong’s (Singapore) creation of Child in 1998 for a local arts group Dramaplus Arts she decided to form the Tammy L. Wong Dance Company later that same year. Registered as a non-profit company limited by guarantee in 1999, the company operated from its office/studio located at Cairnhill Arts Centre obtained through the NAC’s arts housing scheme. Tammy L. Wong Dance Company’s organization includes an informal board of directors, Tammy as artistic director/choreographer/dancer, Suyin Chew as a dancer and manager of the company and Elaine Chan as dancer and arts education program coordinator. Suyin and Elaine have been with the company since it was started and only left after it was dissolved and Tammy left Singapore in 2002. Besides Suyin and Elaine, Tammy also engaged several other dancers to work with her on a project basis: Choo Tse Yun, Melissa Quek, Grace Shinhe Jung, Lee Yeong Wen, Josephine Chiang, Darren Oh and Olivia Cain. The company presented a number of main performances each year mostly in studio theatres and auditoriums in Singapore. It also took part in NAC’s arts education program in which they conducted lecture-demonstrations in Singapore’s schools. Besides performances at home in Singapore, the company also concentrated on tours to America such as California, Montana and New York and prides itself in being the only Singaporean company to be been invited to the American Dance Festival and New York City International Fringe Festival. Title of Work or Production Premier/Restage Year Child 1998 &2002 (restaged) 230 Journal 1998 & 2001 (restaged) Seven Deadly Sins 1999 & 2002 (restaged) Left Right, Right Left 1999 Remembering Jesus 2000 Ever After 2001 Folk Song 2001 & 2002 (restaged) Goodbye, Goodbye 2001 & 2002 (restaged) Alone 2001 & 2002 (restaged) Cry 2002 & 2003 (restaged) Rain 2002 Seven Love Songs and Child 2002 Apart from ticket sales and revenue from its arts education program activities, the company relied on the NAC for much of its funding. Although the company received project grants over the years, an unsuccessful application for a seed grant in 2002 prompted Tammy to disband the company. 231 Excerpts of work by Tammy L Wong Dance Company This page contains a DVD that is not available through internet. 232 Appendix IV: Odyssey Dance Theatre After Danny Tan (Singapore) completed his dance studies at Queensland University of Technology in Australia, he returned to Singapore to establish Odyssey Dance Theatre (ODT) in 1999. In 2001 ODT was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee with charitable status. For a time the company operated from two locations: Northland Secondary School, which was the company’s management and arts education programs base, as well as Telok Ayer Performing Arts Centre (TAPAC), obtained through NAC’s arts housing scheme, which served as a home for the company’s community and outreach programs, production and artistic functions. Since 2003 the company consolidated its operations at TAPAC. The key organizational areas of the company include: artistic development and programming, Arts 4Youth, ODT International, operations, business development and partnerships, and communications. Arts4Youth is a training program while ODT International involves overseas touring and artistic alliances. Danny attributes ODT’s success thus far to good organization, its ability act quickly and responsibly, and the willingness to take risks. Although it is a small company it is run with an equal level of professionalism as larger more established ones. In this regard, ODT’s organizational structure consists of a board of directors, board of advisors and various administrative and artistic components divided between Danny and his wife Ann Tan who is employed full-time by the company. As artistic director Danny oversees the artistic development of ODT’s main company, its Young Artists Project performers and production services 233 while Ann, as general manager, oversees the executive office and administration, the Arts4youths program, marketing, human resources, finance and operations. In the beginning, ODT’s resident dancers included Sylvia Yong Chew Ee (Malaysia) as assistant to the artistic director and principal dancer, another principal dancer Albert Tiong (Malaysia) and artist-in-residence Zhuo Zihao (Singapore). The departure of Sylvia, Albert and Zihao marked the end of the first generation of ODT’s resident dancers and the beginning of a new generation. The new generation of resident dancers included dancers from Europe. ODT also began collaborating with other foreign dancers such as from Australia and Korea. ODT divides its main performances into full-length repertories and short repertories of Danny’s own choreography. Besides these performances, throughout the year the company also promoted contemporary dance from other countries through the New Talent Presentation series in 2000, inviting choreographers from the Asia Pacific region to work with ODT dancers. Since 2001, Danny has invited choreographers/solo dancers and/or their companies from the Asia Pacific region to perform in his bi-annual festival, Xposition Contemporary “O” Dance Fiesta. To date Danny has presented artists from Australia, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Finland and the Philippines. Workshops and lecture-demonstrations conducted by these artists were also often offered to the dance community and general public in conjunction with the performances. DanzINC – International Dancers & Choreographers Residency Festival established in 2004 is another platform that engaged dance artists for eight weeks to present a series of dance events in Singapore. Apart from performances, ODT initiated arts education and outreach programs such as Young Artists Project (YAP) in 2002, ODT’s youth performance company to groom young dancers for 234 ODT’s main performance company and Dance @Heartlands, workshops and performances brought to welfare organizations, homes and communities. In 2003 YAP was developed into Arts4Youth, ODT’s dance training division for youth conducted in schools as well as at the company’s studio. Title of Work or Production Premier/Restage Year The Roots (short repertoire) 1998 2001 & 2002 (restaged) Wings (short repertoire) 1998, 1999,2001 & 2002 (restaged) Traces of Spring (short repertoire) 1999 & 2001 (restaged) Odyssey to the Sublime 1999 2000 & 2001 (restaged) I Wish (short repertoire) 1999 2000, 2001 & 2002 (restaged) My Tender Love (short repertoire) 2000 & 2001 (restaged) Xtreme 2000 The Origins 2000 Xtreme 2001 The White Sensation 2001 Me. I. Thank You (short repertoire) 2001 One 2001 Wavy Emotions (short repertoire) 2001 Innocent Light 2002 Xtrordinary Solos – A Season of Asian Contemporary Dancers 2002 Bold Moves 2002 In Love (short repertoire) 2002 Just (short repertoire) 2002 235 M Bodies – Prelude (short repertoire) 2002 Passion – A Season of Duets 2003 Man-Power – A Season of Male Choreographers 2003 Passion.Love 2003 & 2004 (restaged) Wild Moves – Men in Glass 2004 “V” – A Celebration of Life! 2004 Dance In-Transit 2005 Synesthesia 2005 ODT’s international exposure overseas included tours to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Australia while cultural exchanges with Korea, Taiwan, Australia and Hong Kong also fulfilled an important part of the company’s marketing objective. ODT’s full-time operation has been funded by major corporate sponsors such as Bel-Air and Seagate Technology International as well as grants from local foundations. Apart from funding for its projects, the company also received funding from the NAC to produce artist-in-the-schools programs and arts education programs. Although ODT began with the presentation of Danny’s choreography of full-length works, which still continues today, the company has moved increasingly towards intercultural artistic collaborations and the promotion of foreign dance artists throughout the years, with the exception of the Arts4Youth program dedicated to developing local talent. 236 Excerpts of work by Odyssey Dance Theatre This page contains a Flash DVD that is not available through internet. 237 Appendix V: Ah Hock and Peng Yu Ah Hock and Peng Yu (AHPY), formed in 2003 by Aaron Khek Ah Hock (Singapore) and Ix Wong Thien Pau (Malaysia), derived its name from Aaron’s Chinese name, “Ah Hock”, and “peng yu” meaning friend(s) in the Chinese dialect of Hokkien. Aaron and Ix met while schooling at Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) and shortly after graduating joined The Arts Fission Company (TAFC) in 2002. One year later they left TAFC to form their company registered as a private limited company. Unlike the other contemporary dance companies in Singapore, AHPY did not apply for the various arts assistance schemes, including arts housing. Instead, they operated and rehearsed at their own home as well as at LASALLE-SIA, where Aaron was a part-time dance lecturer. In AHPY’s organizational structure, Aaron and Ix were executive director and artistic director respectively as well as dancers and choreographers in the company. While their roles have not changed throughout the years, the company has experienced major transformations. Initially AHPY had a core team of dancers: Ebelle Chong Chia Rhun (Singapore), Rose Lai Yeung-Jung (Taiwan) and Cheryl Quek Ai Lyn (Singapore), who also doubled up as administrators. Others danced with AHPY on a project basis, including local dancers who recently completed their dance studies overseas: Joey Chua, Susan Yeung How Way, Neo Hong Chin and Vivienne Tan, as well as students from LASALLESIA’s Diploma in Dance. In 2005, the only full-time members remaining were Aaron, Ix and Ebelle, who besides dancing became production manager and choreographer at this time. 238 AHPY’s activities consisted of main performances, many of which were commissioned works by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay and presented at outdoor performance areas. Later, the company also presented their work in studio theatre and blackbox venues. However, unlike the other contemporary dance companies, AHPY did not tour as a company. Title of Work or Production Premier/Restage Year [Excessive Space. Constricted Space] 2002 How Small a Thought it Takes to Fill a Whole World 2002 Sheng Bei 2003 Whispering Cities 01: Whorls 2003 Whispering Cities 02: Chroma 2003 Another Long March 2003 Whispering Cities 03: Stigma 2003 Whispering Cities 04: Dolls 2003 L+R 2004 Big Daddy Says 2004 Peng Yu 2004 O’Moon! 2004 Singapore. Asia. Beyond 2004 The Blue Carousel 2004 Asunder 2005 Tea.Moves. 2005 The Admiral’s Odyssey 2005 AHPY initially received its funding by creating commissioned work for Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, which they continued to do. Later, AHPY applied and received funding from the NAC to present their first indoor performance L+R (2004) at The Arts House. They also received income from ticket sales as well as teaching and choreography projects in both Singapore and Malaysia. 239 In 2005, after deliberating on the pros and cons of remaining as a nonprofit organization or working as independent artists, Aaron and Ix decided to both. As such the company became an umbrella for their collaboration with other artists on a project-by-project basis. At the same time, they worked and created as independent artists in partnership or individually in Singapore as well as Malaysia. 240 Excerpts of work by Ah Hock and Peng Yu This page contains a DVD that is not available through internet. 241 [...]... were other companies such as Frontier Danceland, People’s Association Dance Company, National University of Singapore s Dance Ensemble as well as independent dance artists producing contemporary dance work in Singapore, during this time there were only five companies who primarily produced contemporary dance at a professional level and called themselves 10 contemporary dance companies Beginning in August... date, an in- depth account of contemporary dance in Singapore has not been published, much less studied as an expression of Singapore s contemporary culture It is the aim of this thesis, therefore, to fill this gap Personal location My interest in investigating the topic of Asian- ness expressed through contemporary dance began ten years after I came to Singapore with my husband to live and work in 1992... as well as emerging Asian contemporary dance artists practicing in the community and an increasing trend utilizing interculturalism in the creation of contemporary dance works in the region Thus, I believed that dance needed to be addressed in a wider cultural context in Singapore and created a contemporary dance festival, borrowing the words of the late Carl Wolz, founder of World Dance Alliance, to... choreography of eight dance artists under the auspices of five Singapore- based contemporary dance companies from 1994 to 2005 (A profile of each company is found in Appendix I –V) The peak of the Asian values” discourse in the 1990’s, while considered contrived and politically driven on one level, coincides with the emergence and development of Asian contemporary dance in Singapore and finds dance artists... Singapore, May-Jun 2002 147 18 Folk Song Tammy L Wong Dance Company The Arts Magazine Singapore, May-June 2002 150 19 Journal Tammy L Wong Dance Company Selves: The State of the Arts in Singapore Singapore, 2002 151 20 Rain Tammy L Wong Dance Company The Arts Magazine Singapore, May-June, 2002 152 21 Synesthesia Odyssey Dance Theatre Ltd Singapore, 2005 22 Innocent Light Odyssey Dance Theatre Ltd Singapore, ... approaches – interculturalism, multidisciplinarism and body-centeredness – utilized towards the expression of Asian- ness in the creation of Asian contemporary dance forms, how these approaches are used and interpreted towards the creation of contemporary dance forms, focusing on Asia/Southeast Asia and finally Singapore In chapters four through eight, I focus my analysis on eight contemporary Asian dance. .. contemporary dance forms as expressions of the Asian identity utilizing and interpreting one or more of the following approaches: interculturalism, multidisiciplinarism and body-centeredness In the concluding chapter, I recapitulate that the analysis of contemporary Asian dance artists located in Singapore and the Asian contemporary dance forms they have produced reveal varied and complex understandings and... constant redefining of the idea of dance 35 Later, contemporary dance, a parallel term to modern dance, was coined in the United Kingdom by Robin Howard following the set up of the Contemporary Ballet Trust in 1966 and later London Contemporary Dance Theatre It was first used in Britain as another term to describe modern dance – from its inception to present For the most part, the term contemporary dance. .. provide a background of the development of contemporary dance The first two sections explain the development of modern dance /contemporary dance in the West, highlighting the use of both terms I move on to discuss how contemporary dance emerged in Asia as the transference of Western modern dance techniques and styles interpreted by contemporary Asian artists to create Asian contemporary dance forms, a term... scene in Singapore My range of roles and experience placed me in a privileged position to investigate how contemporary dance artists located in Singapore understood Asian- ness and how this was reflected in their Asian contemporary dance forms Thus, from July 2002 to 2005 my formal fieldwork and data collection was more of an extension and intensification of what I had already been doing I continued . REPRESENTING ASIAN-NESS THROUGH CONTEMPORARY DANCE: CASE STUDIES OF FIVE DANCE COMPANIES IN SINGAPORE CAREN CARINO B.Ed. and M.F.A. (Dance) , University of Hawaii . inspiration, invaluable guidance and support in the research and writing of my thesis. I am indebt to the contemporary dance companies and dance artists based in Singapore at the time of my research transferred through expatriates like myself who settled in Singapore, visitors or Singaporeans who have studied dance in the West, but I observed that instead of perpetuating contemporary dance